Alpine I have been running on one (1) Optima battery for about a year now. The thing looks lost in the case but the hold downs work ok. I had acid damage on the left side and took the battery tray out and did not get around to repairing the paint damage and am still working out the cruise problems so just keep running on one battery. They are an amazing devolopment in batteries. If you can get them there you will not be dissatisfied.

 

Hauling: How cold can it be when you start ? <br>I can't plug in because the heater is for 110V and we have 230V (Could buy a converter but I do not have a plug about 90% of the time)<br>I am considering putting a 2farad capacitor in parallel with my batteries to reduce signal noise. (Good experience with 0.5F but not enough) <br><br>AlpineRAM

 

This year it did not go below 15 to 20 F when I had to use the truck. Started fine on one battery with no plug in. I normally plug in but there are places where I do not. I am not sure how much colder it would have started ok with just the one. The heater cycling did drag it down a lot after running. Of interest possibly, the reason that I went to the Optima was acid dripping on the fenders. I checked the specs and the Optima charges ok at 15 volts which was above the rate that the truck puts out. Generally local vehicles cars/pickups charge higher than over the road vehicles. I use it over the road and was having problems and altinator replacement was not practical with the Dodge serpintine setup. You should look into the fuel heaters that are made for your situations, they make one special for the ram.

 

I was thinking about the fuel heaters, but they are a tad expensive. I think I'll get one this fall, because I have moved.I had a heated garage before. How much are the heaters for the RAM in the USA or Canada? <br>Thr info on charging voltage is important. I was wondering about it already. I drive an average of 60 miles between engine starts, so I think that the batteries are overcharged continuously. <br><br>AlpineRAM

 

I got a quote for Optima RedTop 1050s Drumroll €186 per pc...<br><br>Does this sound right or not ???<br><br>Standard batteries that would fit would be around € 125 <br><br>What do you think ?<br><br>AlpineRAM

 

Optima also makes a group 31 battery that has Ah and Reserve capacity ratings closer to our factory batteries. I think minor tray trimming is required to fit it. But that size is hard to find even over here, and priced so high that it is 3 to 4 times as expensive as a &quot;like for like&quot; replacement. I wanted a sealed battery, but when I considered which would I rather have, a 10 year old Optima or a 3 year old anything else, I decided the Optima's were not for me. My factory batteries are still doing the trick, but one &quot;eye&quot; has gone black, so I'll have to make my decision before next winter...

 

[quote author=AlpineRAM link=board=5;threadid=14006;start=15#132130 date=1051353946]<br>I got a quote for Optima RedTop 1050s Drumroll €186 per pc...<br><br>Does this sound right or not ???<br><br>Standard batteries that would fit would be around € 125 <br><br>What do you think ?<br><br>AlpineRAM<br>[/quote]<br><br>Alpine, that is about the same differential that you would have in the USA. Last time I looked a standard replacement battery was around $65-75 and the Optima that you are looking at was around $125. Matter of fact your deal might be better from a price differential.

 

Thanks PitBull!<br>Only downside is that I have to pay the full amount not the differential :'(<br><br>I think I'll try running on one optima in the first step. I could use the space of the right battery for a 230V AC system. <br><br>With the prices you quote it wouldn't make sense to ship a pair of optimas. I could get the approximate replacement batteries for € 79 over here too, but I have some experiences with the cheap brands over here. No winter starts. Live about 1 year. <br><br>AlpineRAM

 

[quote author=AlpineRAM link=board=7;threadid=14006;start=15#132113 date=1051340024]<br><br>I am considering putting a 2farad capacitor in parallel with my batteries to reduce signal noise. (Good experience with 0.5F but not enough) <br><br>AlpineRAM<br>[/quote]<br><br>AlpineRAM -- What signal noise are you trying to reduce? Just curious....<br><br>

 

I am trying to reduce the overall noise level- I assume that when the batteries get older they first loose their ability to react on very quick changes in voltage. I further assume that the frequency of reactions of the battery can fall to the point where it gets close to some other systems on the electronics. So I think I can try to put in a big capacitor between the battery poles. I have tried this on several TDIs and had good results in noise reduction in the car hifi- especially these little annoying buzzes from some electrical motors, and the noise from the alternator when using the rear window heater.
I do hope that I can get out the oscillations I experience in the charging circuit now.
Right now I am using a noise filter on the APPS signal going to the PCM which does away with the problems of cycling the lockup clutch on loads close to triggering unlock or lock.


AlpineRAM

 

Ah, ok. The reason that I asked is because some number of years ago I did quite a bit of research on various buzzing and noises in car stereos. At the time, the Chevy V8 was the powerplant of choice, and GM used a &quot;resistor wire&quot; between the coil + and +12 key on. I found out that the wire radiates EMI like crazy, and I put a 4000 uF cap to coil + with a strap to ground, and it pretty much eliminated it. The final piece of the puzzle was a fat inductor on the power lead to the stereo, and another cap after that to ground. The upshot of all this is that there are two major avenues for noise to travel -- one is conducted (Through the power leads) and the other is radiated, like the resistor wire. Pretty interesting stuff.

 

Back to the battery terminal corrosion protection; here is a little trick I learned from an old time mechanic that works wonders:<br><br>Go into the kitchen and grab the wifes bottle of KARO syrup, big bottle that looks like the canola oil bottle, its clear stuff, pretty sticky and is used for baking. Sneak it out to the shop and use a little brush and brush it on the terminals with the connections clean, on tight and ready to go. This stuff will dry pretty hard withing 24 hours and will prevent all corrosion from happening, assuming that you have everything clean to begin with. When dry it looks like you sealed them with clear epoxy. <br><br>No problem braking them loose later to change them, it is not that hard but sure protects amazingly well for the life of the battery. Is cheaper and works way better then that spray on stuff you buy at the auto parts store or those funky little felt things they sell to put over the posts.<br><br>CTDCAL.

 

[quote author=CTDCAL link=board=7;threadid=14006;start=15#132665 date=1051503075]<br>Back to the battery terminal corrosion protection; here is a little trick I learned from an old time mechanic that works wonders:<br><br>Go into the kitchen and grab the wifes bottle of KARO syrup, big bottle that looks like the canola oil bottle, its clear stuff, pretty sticky and is used for baking. Sneak it out to the shop and use a little brush and brush it on the terminals with the connections clean, on tight and ready to go. This stuff will dry pretty hard withing 24 hours and will prevent all corrosion from happening, assuming that you have everything clean to begin with. When dry it looks like you sealed them with clear epoxy. <br><br>No problem braking them loose later to change them, it is not that hard but sure protects amazingly well for the life of the battery. Is cheaper and works way better then that spray on stuff you buy at the auto parts store or those funky little felt things they sell to put over the posts.<br><br>CTDCAL.<br>[/quote]<br><br>Just wondering if this old time mechanic figured this out while eating pancakes during an engine over haul.

 

[quote author=Pit Bull link=board=7;threadid=14006;start=15#132908 date=1051560435]<br>[quote author=CTDCAL link=board=7;threadid=14006;start=15#132665 date=1051503075]<br>Back to the battery terminal corrosion protection; here is a little trick I learned from an old time mechanic that works wonders:<br><br>Go into the kitchen and grab the wifes bottle of KARO syrup, big bottle that looks like the canola oil bottle, its clear stuff, pretty sticky and is used for baking. Sneak it out to the shop and use a little brush and brush it on the terminals with the connections clean, on tight and ready to go. This stuff will dry pretty hard withing 24 hours and will prevent all corrosion from happening, assuming that you have everything clean to begin with. When dry it looks like you sealed them with clear epoxy. <br><br>No problem braking them loose later to change them, it is not that hard but sure protects amazingly well for the life of the battery. Is cheaper and works way better then that spray on stuff you buy at the auto parts store or those funky little felt things they sell to put over the posts.<br><br>CTDCAL.<br>[/quote]<br><br>Just wondering if this old time mechanic figured this out while eating pancakes during an engine over haul. <br>[/quote]<br><br><br>I don't know, but it sure sounds like it would work. We used to use it for Pecan pies, and it is so sticky it is hard to wash off when done.. Just imagine how nice a film it makes when dry!!